NEW GP SURGERY ? NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE

Homeland Drive, Belmont

Homeland Drive, Belmont

Heather and Richard are concerned at the proposal to close the Grove Road surgery and move it to a building in Homeland Drive, in Belmont.

There is no GP surgery in Sutton South Ward. Our residents are spread between a number of surgeries and many (including Richard) use the Grove Road surgery. There is no disputing that this building, a converted house, is not the best place for a surgery and it does not meet the best standards. However, closing it and moving to Homeland Drive is not the best move, as the new building is not on a bus route and it is a difficult walk for those with mobility problems from the nearest bus stops in the Brighton Road. Increased traffic at the site will give rise to safety concerns. We believe there are better sites, such as locating the surgery at the Sutton hospital site, where part of the site is shortly to be vacated. This is not, of course, an issue on which the decision rests with the local Council. An application for planning permission has been made, but issues that concern whether there are better sites are not planning issues on which a decision to turn down the application could be based.

The following is the text of a letter we sent to the Sutton Guardian:

“What the discussion in the letters page of the Guardian, about the proposed new GP surgery on the old Henderson Hospital site, has failed to address is the scandal that there is no GP surgery in the whole of Sutton South Ward.  This issue has long concerned us because our Ward has the largest proportion of people over 65 in the whole of Sutton,17 per cent.  The needs of this group was one of the reasons for launching Sutton South Hello this year. Closing down the Grove Road Surgery only makes the situation worse.
 
New health facilities are desperately needed but can’t we find somewhere more accessible, and safer?  We understand that there have been four collisions at the junction of Homeland Drive and Brighton Road.  These might have been categorised as light but, with increased traffic flow, they could increase.  And what about those who have no cars, are elderly,  and will have to trudge up the dark and steep road from Brighton Road?”

 

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